Contrast utilitarian and deontological approaches to a dilemma involving a potential employee liberally enhancing (lying on) her resume.
Please type your subject in the School Subject box. Any other words, including obscure abbreviations, are likely to delay responses from a teacher who knows that subject well.
These sites should help you write your paper.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deontological_ethics
(Broken Link Removed)
To contrast the utilitarian and deontological approaches to this dilemma, we need to understand the principles behind each approach.
1. Utilitarian Approach:
- The utilitarian approach focuses on maximizing overall happiness or well-being for the majority of people. It evaluates actions based on their consequences.
- According to utilitarianism, the morally right decision would be the one that results in the greatest amount of happiness or the least amount of harm for the majority of people.
- In the context of the potential employee lying on her resume, a utilitarian would consider the overall consequences of both hiring and not hiring her.
- They might argue that if the potential employee has the skills and abilities to perform the job effectively, her false credentials on the resume may not be consequential as long as they do not harm others or the organization.
2. Deontological Approach:
- The deontological approach is based on moral rules or duties, regardless of the consequences that may result.
- Deontologists believe that certain actions are inherently right or wrong, regardless of their outcomes.
- In the case of the potential employee lying on her resume, a deontologist would consider the act of lying itself as morally wrong, irrespective of any potential positive consequences.
- They might argue that honesty and integrity are essential virtues, and lying on a resume violates these principles.
To determine the right course of action, one could engage in the following steps:
1. Identify the values and principles at stake: In this case, honesty, integrity, fairness, and the potential harm or benefit to others.
2. Assess the consequences: Consider the potential positive and negative impacts of hiring a candidate with false credentials, including impacts on the organization, other employees, customers, and stakeholders.
3. Analyze the moral rules involved: Consider whether lying on a resume is inherently wrong or if other moral principles outweigh it.
4. Determine the most appropriate approach: Consider whether a utilitarian or deontological perspective aligns better with your personal moral framework.
Ultimately, the right approach will depend on individual perspectives and the specific circumstances of the dilemma. It is important to weigh the ethical implications of each approach before making a decision.